Process for molding plates.



UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

ALFRED J. JARMAN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMESJ'. TRAVERS, OF NE! YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS FOR MOLDING PLATES.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 14, 1913.

Patented May 19, 191.45.

Serial No. 754.215.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED J. JARMAN, asubject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Newark, in thecounty ofEssex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Processes for Molding Plates, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to produce an inexpensive, light andreliable molding plate for half-tone or line Work in typographic orintaglio printing, which plate will receive all the impressions of asuitable matrix, no matter how fine, which will not warp, and will givea good hold to the printing ink.

The above objects are obtained by providing a plate formed of acomposition of celluloid or nitro-cellulose with all or one of thefollowing metals: aluminum, magnesium, and zinc. The metals, aluminum,magnesium and zinc, are difl'used into the body of the celluloid,forming, figuratively, a spongy skeleton, the cells of which are filledwith the celluloid. The amount of metal in the plate so formed, inrelation to the celluloid, may vary from six to seventeen per cent,according to the size of the plate and the class of work it is intendedfor. The plates When formed will have one face impressed with a suitablematrix and the opposite face treated with an inorganic acid, preferablyhydrochloric. The acid will eliminate from this face the exposed metal,and form an etched su face which will give a good hold to a cement bymeans of which the plate may be fastened to a suitable block. The cementI prefer to use is gutta percha in one of the following compounds:chloroform, benzol, or carbon di-sulfid. This is applied by means of abrush'to the face treated by the acid. Before the plates can beimpressed by the matrix the face must be softened. Preferably two blocksare con nected to each other before being treated with acid, so that thetwo faces can be exposed to vapors of amyl or ethyl acetate, which willsoften the exposed surface sulficiently deep to make the impression onthis surface by the matrix, leaving the remaining, major part of eachplate hard. The fine veins of metal disposed on the face of the platewill be easily depressed by the matrix and these depressed veins ofmetal form a tooth or hold for the printing ink on this surface. Thesoftening of the surfaces for impressions can also be made by exposingthem to heat, if desired. The metal diffused in the celluloid as abovedescribed, forming a spongy skeleton constitutes a frame which prevents\varping of the plate when the impressed surface is hardened. The platesformed and impressed as above described, may be of any desired shapeaccording to the style of printing used. The plates will be light inweight, as the amount of metal used is light, and the metals them selvesare of light specific gravity.

The process of preparing the plate is as follows: The celluloid and thepowdered metal are Well stirred so that the metal will be properlydiffused in the mass of the celluloid. The mass is then left tosolidify, and when solidified is cut into plates of proper size andshape. Every pair of plates is put back to back, the oppositefaces beingexposed to the vaporsof amyl or ethyl acetate until suflicientlysoftened. The plates are then taken apart and each of the softenedsurfaces impressed by a suitable matrix. When the impressed surface ofthe plates is hardened, the opposite surface is treated -withhydrochloric acid, dried, and then,

finally, the gutta percha. in a solution as above described. is brushedon the face trea ed with the acid.

The advantage of the plates formed by means of my process is that bymeans of a suitable matrix a plurality of plates may be formed in aplace and then sent to the d sired places where they can be utilized forprinting purposes. The plates being light in weight can be cheaply sentto any desired place, and where, when received, the plates can bemounted on a suitable wooden block. by applying gutta percha to thesurface of the Wooden block to which the plate is to be attached. It canbe easily seen that the gutta percha stored in the plate will (so-actwith the gutta percha coated on the block and form a perfect binding.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. The process for moldingplates, cOnsistplates, thenimpressing each of the softened faces with a suitable matrix, treatingthe opposite face of each plate with a non-organic acid, and coatingsaid treated surface with a cement, then mounting said plates, with thecement-coated surface on a wooden block, by means of said cement.

2. The process for molding plates, consisting of forming plates of acomposition of celluloid and metal, connecting a pair of platestogether, exposing the so-connected plates to vapors of amyl acetate tosoften the exposed surfaces only; separating said plates, thenimpressing each of said softened faces of said plates with a suitablematrix, treating the non-impressed faces of the plates withhydrochloricacid, coating said acidtreated surface with cement, and mounting saidplates with the cement-coated surfaces on a Wooden block by means ofsaid cemrnt:

3. The process for molding plates, consisting of forming plates by acomposition of celluloid and aluminum, connecting each pair of platestogether, exposing the so-c0nnected plates to vapors of amyl acetate tosoften the exposed face only, separating each pair of connected plates,and impressing each of said softened surfaces of said plates With asuitable matrix, treating the non-impressed face of each of the plateswith hydrochloric acid, then coating the said acidtreated surface with acement dissolved in an easily volatile substance, and mounting the sameon a suitable block by means of the coat of cement.

4. The process for molding plates, which consists of forming plates by acomposition of celluloid and aluminum, connecting each pair of platestogether, exposing the sor-connected plates to vapors of amyl acetate tosoften the exposed faces only, separating each pair of plates, thenimpressing said softened surface of each plate with a suitable matrix,treat ng the non-impressed face of the plates with hydrochloric acid,and coating the so-treated face with gutta percha dissolved in a highlyvolatile solution, and mounting said plates on suitable blocks with thesaid faces coated with guttapercha.

5. The process for molding plates, which consists of forming plates by acomposition of celluloid and aluminum, connecting each pair of platestogether, exposing the connected plates to vapors of amyl acetate tosoften the exposed faces only, separating each pair of plates, thenimpressing said softened surface of each plate by a, suitable matrix,treating the non-impressed face of the plates with hydrochloric acid,then coating the acid-treated face with gutta percha dissolved inbenzol, and mounting said plates on suitable wooden blocks with thefaces coated with gutta percha attached to the block.

6. The process for molding plates, which consists of forming plates of acomposition of celluloid, aluminum, magnesium and zinc,

connecting every pair of plates together, exposing the so-connectedplates to vapors of amyl acetate to soften the exposed faces only,separating every pair of plates, then impressing the softened face ofeach of said plate with a suitable matrix, treating the non-impressedface of the plates with bydrochloric acid, then coating the said treatedface with gutta percha dissolved ,in benzol, andmounting said plateswith their coated faces on a suitable wooden block.

7. The process for molding plates, which consists of forming plates of acompound of celluloid, aluminum, magnesium and zinc, the amount of metalin the celluloid varying from six to seventeen per cent, connectingevery pair of plates together, exposing the soconnected plates to vaporsof amyl ace tate to soften the exposed faces only, separating theplates, then impressing said softened face of each plate with a suitablematrix, then treating the non-impressed face of the plates with dilutedhydrochloric acid, coating the said treated face of each plate withgutta percha dissolved in benzol, and mounting said plates with theircoated faces on suitable wooden blocks.

8. The process for molding plates, wh ch consists of forming plates of acomposit on of celluloid and a metal, the metal being diffused in thecelluloid, forming a spongy skeleton, the cells of which are filled bythe celluloid, connecting each pair of plates together, exposing theconnected plates to vapors of a-myl acetate to soften the exposed facesonly, separating the plates, then impressing the softened face of eachplate with a suitable matrix,treating the non-impressed face of eachplate with hydrochloric acid, and ,coating each of the said treatedfaces with cement, and mountingeach plate with the coated surface on asuitable block.

In. Witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification inthepresence f two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED J. J ARMA N.

Witnesses:

JAMES J. TRAVERS, BENEDICT J OFFE.

